It was a dramatic account from the early stage of the Iraq War, one involving the NBC News anchor Brian Williams aboard a U.S. military helicopter that had drawn enemy fire.
And it wasn't true.

Williams, the anchor of the "NBC Nightly News," apologized on Wednesday for claiming that he'd been aboard a helicopter that was "forced down after being hit by an RPG."

The incident happened on March 24, 2003. A Chinook helicopter was forced down by enemy fire -- but Williams was not on it.

Stars and Stripes reported on Wednesday that "Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter," one that "took no fire and landed later beside the damaged helicopter due to an impending sandstorm from the Iraqi desert."

Williams is blaming a foggy memory.

"I would not have chosen to make this mistake," Williams told Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent news organization.

"I don't know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another," he added.

"Williams is blaming a foggy memory. "I would not have chosen to make this mistake," Williams told Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent news organization. "I don't know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another," he added."

Yeah, like it's so hard to remember whether you got hit with an RPG or not.

It was a dramatic account from the early stage of the Iraq War, one involving the NBC News anchor Brian Williams aboard a U.S. military helicopter that had drawn enemy fire.
And it wasn't true.

Williams, the anchor of the "NBC Nightly News," apologized on Wednesday for claiming that he'd been aboard a helicopter that was "forced down after being hit by an RPG."

The incident happened on March 24, 2003. A Chinook helicopter was forced down by enemy fire -- but Williams was not on it.

Stars and Stripes reported on Wednesday that "Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter," one that "took no fire and landed later beside the damaged helicopter due to an impending sandstorm from the Iraqi desert."

Williams is blaming a foggy memory.

"I would not have chosen to make this mistake," Williams told Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent news organization.

"I don't know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another," he added.

The damaging revelation may harm Williams' credibility.

Click to expand...

How does this guy stay on the air?

Yeah, you forgot your helicopter wasn't slammed with an explosive round that can take out a tank.

It was a dramatic account from the early stage of the Iraq War, one involving the NBC News anchor Brian Williams aboard a U.S. military helicopter that had drawn enemy fire.
And it wasn't true.

Williams, the anchor of the "NBC Nightly News," apologized on Wednesday for claiming that he'd been aboard a helicopter that was "forced down after being hit by an RPG."

The incident happened on March 24, 2003. A Chinook helicopter was forced down by enemy fire -- but Williams was not on it.

Stars and Stripes reported on Wednesday that "Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter," one that "took no fire and landed later beside the damaged helicopter due to an impending sandstorm from the Iraqi desert."

Williams is blaming a foggy memory.

"I would not have chosen to make this mistake," Williams told Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent news organization.

"I don't know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another," he added.

The damaging revelation may harm Williams' credibility.

Click to expand...

That sort of "convenient oversight" is inexcusable under the best of circumstances.

But in a world where a colleague of his like Bob Woodruff still struggles to make it through each day, it's a complete fucking travesty.